Why the silence, Nicole? PADDY WIFE’S FRUSTRATION

PADDY McGuinness’s wife is annoyed that Nicole Appleton has not spoken out to dispel rumours she had a fling with the comic.

Christine was devastated when Paddy, 44, was snapped enjoying a boozy night out with the All Saints singer in London while she was at their home in Cheshire.

Their marriage is said to be hanging by a thread after Christine claimed he has been less than frank with her, telling pals: “He has broken my trust.”

And Nicole, 43, has stayed silent – fuelling speculation over a dalliance.

A friend of Paddy and Christine, 29, said: “It is telling Nicole has done nothing to dispel the rumours or clarify what happened. We can’t believe she hasn’t said anything.

“If Nicole had made clear this was a friendship, it would have gone away.”

Christine and Paddy held showdown talks last week after shots emerged of him with his arm around Nicole on February 9. The pair had swapped flirty social media messages for up to 10 months, and on January 27 Nicole made a post about her “soulmate”. But they unfollowed each other after the row broke. Hours after the snaps emerged, Christine wrote: “You believe lies so you learn to trust no one but yourself. Good things fall apart so better things can fall together.” Paddy and Nicole are thought to have met at a gig. The Take Me Out host is friends with Noel Gallagher – the brother of Nicole’s ex Liam – and Holly Willoughby, a friend of Nicole. Holly is also best pals with Keith Lemon, who presents ITV’s The Keith & Paddy Picture Show with Paddy. An insider said: “They hang out in a similar social circle when in London. They get on because Nicole is quite laddish and shares a similar humour with Paddy.” Christine and Paddy were holed up in Cheshire this weekend. A friend said: “He didn’t tell her he was hanging out with Nicole, she didn’t know they were close. She is heartbroken. She is weighing up her options but isn’t making any rash decisions.”